AWARD-WINNING singer songwriter Phil Coulter is the latest star to be added to the line-up for this summer's inaugural Irish Post Music Awards in Ireland.
The Awards night, taking place on June 7 in the INEC Killarney, will bring together some of the biggest and most contemporary names on the Irish music scene.
Joining Coulter and previously announced acts including The Blizzards, Una Healy and The High Kings, is Northern Irish talent Ryan McMullan.
Hosted by Síle Seoige and Malachi Cush, The Irish Post Music Awards are supported by IMRO and will be broadcast live on TG4.
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It’s now more than 20 years since the distinctive sound of Tranquility, featuring Phil Coulter’s piano and orchestra, first seduced the whole of Ireland with its easy melodic charm, before going on to garner fans around the world.
With record sales now counted in millions, as well as a Grammy nomination, several appearances in the White House and sold out dates in prestige venues like Carnegie Hall, it’s been quite a ride.
Not that Phil Coulter – an Ivor Novello award-winning Songwriter of the Year - had been a stranger to success in the music business prior to that.
See Phill Coulter live at The Irish Post Music Awards in JuneIn the two decades before Tranquility he had achieved world-wide recognition as a hit songwriter, with then partner Bill Martin, notching up chart entries with a diverse list of acts from Cliff Richard to Sandie Shaw, Elvis Presley to Waylon Jennings, from Bobby Vinton to The Bay City Rollers.
As a producer his credits are formidable and include icons like Van Morrison, Sinead O’Connor and Elvis Costello, classical greats like James Galway and one-of-a-kind’s like Billy Connolly.
On a separate more low profile track from all his commercial success, the Grammy-nominated artist kept faith with his passion for Irish music.
He has produced legends like Planxty, The Dubliners, Liam Clancy and The Furey Brothers and helped launch the careers of many others, including Tommy Fleming.
He has also written some of the great Irish songs of his generation - Scorn Not His Simplicity, Steal Away, the rugby anthem, Ireland’s Call and the classic The Town I Loved So Well.
Ryan McMullan is an exciting new name on the Irish music sceneA formidable reputation on the live music scene
Ryan McMullan is the real deal. Having been blessed with a voice that can shift effortlessly between the angelic and the guttural he has also honed a song writing craft which exploits the incredible versatility and power of his god given instrument.
Growing up in picturesque Portaferry, on the shores of Strangford lough and in sight of the Mourne Mountains, McMullan was formed by the traditional music and pub sing-alongs with which rural villages in Ireland are indelibly linked.
However this gives only a portion of the story, as a member of an unashamedly post-MTV generation he was always on the hunt for more diverse influences from bubblegum pop, to hip hop, to hard rock and blues.
The singer has already earned a formidable reputation in the European live music scene.
After spending many years developing a dedicated local following (and gaining the favour of personal heroes such as Foy Vance and Gary Lightbody) in 2017 he supported Ed Sheeran’s arena tour.
This was followed up with his own British and European headline tour complete with a triumphant homecoming gig in Belfast.
As anticipation now builds for his debut album; talk amongst fans new and old has been which of the songs from a various well received independently released EP’s might make the cut.
Ten of the country’s top acts will perform under one roof for one incredible night of Irish music this June at The Irish Post Music Awards.
With awards in nine categories, including Best Country, Best Folk and Best Pop/Rock, a Lifetime Achievement Award will also be revealed on the evening.
Best Singer/Songwriter, Best Album and Best Single will also be honoured on the evening alongside a Best Indie Award and Outstanding Contribution to TV/Radio.
